


Not unreciprocated, never unrequited

by Eggspelliarmus



Category: 30歳まで童貞だと魔法使いになれるらしい | 30-sai Made Doutei da to Mahou Tsukai ni Nareru Rashii (TV), 30歳まで童貞だと魔法使いになれるらしい | Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! (Manga)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:06:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27853058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggspelliarmus/pseuds/Eggspelliarmus
Summary: Adachi goes on a quest to understand how he truly feels for his handsome colleague.Turns out Kurosawa’s affections are not unreciprocated, and never unrequited.
Relationships: Adachi Kiyoshi/Kurosawa Yuichi
Comments: 18
Kudos: 118





	Not unreciprocated, never unrequited

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [合照](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27796543) by [Eggspelliarmus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eggspelliarmus/pseuds/Eggspelliarmus). 



> Kurosawa/ Adachi
> 
> Based on the setting of the drama coz I still haven’t gotten the time to actually go out and buy the comics.
> 
> More like a rewrite of the original fic than a translation, so if you read both versions you can tell they follow the same framework but some details are different. What I did was 1. translated this piece of shit to English → 2. reread it and edited it and changed some details so it sounded more natural in English. 
> 
> I honestly haven’t written in English (except for assignments) for like a century so I apologise in advance if it looks super weird, which is definitely going to happen. And, sorry for any grammatical errors.   
> This is taking me so long. I haven’t written a fic in English for far too long LOL.
> 
> I suck at titles i seriously need help like, now

Fic inspired by this picture. 

[ https://cdn2.ettoday.net/images/5227/d5227557.jpg ](https://cdn2.ettoday.net/images/5227/d5227557.jpg)

  
  


  
  
  
  


**Not unreciprocated, never unrequited**

[Cherry Magic] Kurosawa/ Adachi

01.

  
  


“Let’s take a picture, shall we?”

Adachi blinked in confusion as he heard Kurosawa’s request coming out of the blue. For a brief second he did not know how to react. 

“We have both finished our work perfectly today. It’s a great idea to take a selfie to celebrate the day, you know, like what Rokkaku loves to do after work,” Kurosawa added, upon noticing Adachi’s unmasked hesitance. Adachi glanced at the pile of documents stacked on his desk and nodded. 

He could feel Kurosawa’s hand slithering across his back. The warmth from his fingertips seethed through the fabric and stroked his skin. Adachi tensed slightly because of Kurosawa’s lingering fingers, but he wasn’t repulsed at all by his touch. He was merely spooked by his colleague’s sudden approach. Adachi watched Kurosawa as he tapped his phone gently. Kurosawa’s sleeve was pulled up slightly by his movement, revealing his slight muscular wrist. 

Eyes remained glued to Kurosawa’s well-toned wrist, Adachi swallowed uneasily. For some reason he found Kurosawa’s wrist extremely alluring. 

“Ready?” Kurosawa turned around to flash Adachi a smile, his dark eyes glimmering with unmistakable happiness. 

It was not until this point in time that Adachi finally realised how close they actually were. Kurosawa’s warm breath stroked the tip of his nose, inevitably sending his heart into a sprint. Adachi nodded again, this time with blushing cheeks.

As soon as Kurosawa took a snapshot, Adachi heard his thoughts. 

_“I feel so blessed, finally being able to take a photo with Adachi. I swear, I will print out this photo and protect it with my own life. Hm, I think printing it out in the size of a poster will be a great idea...wait no, not really. If Adachi goes to my home, he is definitely going to be mortified. Nobody wants to see a human-sized poster of their own face in their colleague’s apartment. A small photo is way better. I think I will put it under my pillow, along with the PJs I bought for Adachi. Gosh, I feel so blessed. I should definitely change it to my phone wallpaper as well…”_

Adachi was flustered like usual upon hearing Kurosawa’s internal confession.

“There you go,” said Kurosawa, successfully redirecting Adachi’s attention back to him. Adachi’s phone gave out a quirky beep sound, notifying him that he had an incoming message. He tapped the message bubble to open up Kurosawa’s message. Before Adachi realised it, he was already grinning from ear to ear staring at the picture. He patted his cheeks, trying to stop himself from smiling like an idiot. 

Adachi’s lips parted slightly in shock, as he realised there was one more feeling dwelling in his heart. It was not the usual kind of feeling he would associate with Kurosawa. 

He was in fact delighted. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


02.

Adachi did not have to work overtime today. 

That being said, he was still unable to go home directly after work. As soon as the clock struck 5 p.m, an over enthusiastic Rokkaku dragged Adachi out of the office into an izakaya for some drinks. Rokkaku successfully sealed a deal with a sizable corporation earlier today, and he had been babbling about it ever since. 

Adachi did not have the heart to reject Rokkaku’s invitation, as he saw how bright his face lit up. Besides, he did not exactly have anything special to do after work. 

Time seemed to fly when you were intoxicated. A few shots down, and Adachi’s brain was already on the verge of dysfunctioning. Adachi looked up into Rokkaku’s face, as he heard Rokkaku uttering a sluggish response to his equally half-witted joke. The clock on the wall of the izakaya, half-shielded by Rokkaku’s drunken figure, suddenly caught his attention. 

It was almost midnight. The final train home would depart soon.

Worried about missing the final train, Adachi bid Rokkaku farewell quickly. He dashed all the way to the station, without sparing a second to catch his breath. As soon as he stepped on the train, Adachi collapsed on the seat closest to the train doors. 

The train moved forward, swaying gently like a cradle. Adachi, already half-drunk and exhausted from a day of work, couldn’t help but shut his eyes. He was drifting off in the darkness, when he was suddenly jostled awake by a piercing pain on the side of his head.

Adachi winced in pain. He had slammed his head onto the window when the train was turning left. Rubbing the bruise, he looked around, only to realise the train he was on was eerily quiet and not as crowded as usual. The calm voice of the train driver, though slightly muffled, came out from the speaker. 

The announcement confirmed his worst fear. He had jumped on a train going in the wrong direction. As soon as the doors opened, Adachi rushed off the train in a great panic.

He was standing in the middle of an empty and unfamiliar platform. The cold wind of the night struck his face, sending a shiver down his spine. Adachi looked up into the platform clock, only to realise the last train back home had already departed ten minutes prior. 

He sighed softly. Turning on his heels, he exited the platform and decided to look for a taxi instead. 

Adachi’s footsteps paused when he was walking past the convenience store right outside the station. Through the glass window, he spotted a familiar figure standing in front of the self-serve printer. 

Kurosawa was still dressed neatly from head to toe, not a hair out of place. He hit a button on the printer and waited patiently with his arms crossed.

Even though the logo of the convenience store covered up the lower half of Kurosawa’s face, Adachi’s eyes were still able to find their ways behind the logo to ogle at Kurosawa’s attractive features. He was hiding behind a tree outside the convenience store, with only his face stuck out to peek at Kurosawa.

Kurosawa took something out of the printer. Due to the distance between them, Adachi was not able to see what Kurosawa was holding onto. He guessed it was a photo judging from its size. 

Kurosawa looked at the photo in his hands, the gentleness evident in his eyes. His lips curled up into a faint smile. In a swift motion he bent down, pressing a soft kiss on the right handside of the photo. 

Adachi’s heart raced. Clenching a tree branch with shaking hands, he tried to catch his breath by giving himself something to hold on, but to no avail. The loud thump of his heart and the sound of the blood rushing through his veins were so loud, that Adachi was worried for a brief second Kurosawa could hear him.

Adachi _knew_ who were in this picture.

More importantly, he _knew_ who was standing on the right handside of the picture. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


03.

Kurosawa stared at the picture for a couple of seconds more, before turning on his heels and leaving the convenience store. He was clenching the photo dearily, as if it was the greatest treasure he could ever find.

After making sure Kurosawa had left, Adachi finally stepped out of the shadow, his heart still beating rapidly. He originally planned to leave right away, but the hunger manifesting in the pits of his stomach made him reconsider. The bento restaurant near his home would have already been closed by the time he reached home. The convenience store was his only shot at getting any kind of decent food. 

The familiar melody rang in his ears as he stepped through the parted automatic doors. The cashier greeted him enthusiastically. Adachi nodded shily and looked away, trying not to make any eye contact with him. He knelt down in front of the refrigerator to pick out some ready meals, and grabbed an assortment of drinks on his way to the cashier. 

Adachi was leaving the convenience store with the white plastic bag full of food and drinks, when another man was entering the store.

They shared an equally shocked expression upon seeing each other. 

  
  
  


04.

“Oh hi,” Adachi said. 

Warmth crept up his cheeks in embarrassment. He was totally caught off guard when he bumped into Kurosawa. He _assumed_ Kurosawa had already left, so he was not expecting to see him again. 

Well, at least not now. 

The picture Kurosawa printed out had magically disappeared, and his leather bag was nowhere to be seen. Adachi guessed he must have first returned home before returning to the convenience store.

“Hi. Whoa, I can’t believe I bump into you just because I wanted to grab some snacks,” Kurosawa beamed, “Adachi, what are you doing here? If my memory serves me right, I think your home is rather far away from here, right?” 

The fingertips of Kurosawa’s left hand brushed against Adachi’s arm as he spoke, sending some of his internal thoughts across. 

_“Oh no, I hope Adachi isn’t here to visit his girlfriend...I really hope Adachi is still single. Speaking of that, Adachi looks so happy these days. Would it be…”_

Adachi’s heart sank. He never expected Kurosawa to be such an overthinker. Adachi sneaked a glance at Kurosawa. He bit his lips in guilt when he realised Kurosawa was still smiling as radiant as ever, with only a hint of bitterness lingering in his eyes. The sheer thought of Kurosawa trying so hard to conceal his sadness with a smile whenever Adachi was around sent a wave of sorrow across his heart. 

“I got a bit drunk after drinking with Rokkaku, and jumped onto the wrong train,” Adachi explained, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. He relaxed slightly as he saw Kurosawa’s face softened. The bitterness in his dark orbs disappeared completely, as if it never existed in the first place. 

“Adachi, if you don’t mind, you can stay at my place for the night,” Kurosawa asked, “I mean, the last train has already left. And it isn’t going to be cheap to catch a taxi ride home.” 

Adachi paused for a couple of seconds before nodding in agreement. Taxis in Tokyo always cost an arm and a leg. Kurosawa’s proposal was a deal that he could not resist. The two walked along the dimly lit pavement in silence as they proceeded to Kurosawa’s home. Kurosawa suddenly stopped in the middle of his tracks, his eyes darting towards the plastic bag that Adachi was clenching tightly. 

“Please, let me hold that one for you.”

Kurosawa did not even wait for Adachi’s response and reached out for the plastic bag. His thought reached Adachi’s mind as soon as their fingers touched.

_“I am such a terrible person, to keep on asking the man I am madly in love with to stay at my place. Adachi is so unsuspecting, but what I am doing is basically turning against his trust for me. How could I be so despicable, knowing how wrong I am but am still so addicted to it…”_

Adachi turned and looked at Kurosawa. His lips parted, as if he was ready to say something. 

He faltered at last, and uttered nothing.

  
  
  
  
  


05.

  
  


Adachi did not even remember how many times he had been to Kurosawa’s apartment. Like his uncountable previous visits, Kurosawa asked Adachi to shower before him. 

He was dabbing his hair dry with a towel after emerging from the bathroom feeling clean and refreshed, when Kurosawa walked past him with some clothes in hands. 

“I am going to use the bathroom now,” said Kurosawa. Adachi nodded at Kurosawa in acknowledgement. He smiled calmly at Kurosawa. 

His facade slipped off as soon as the bathroom door was shut. Sitting on the ground, Adachi buried his face between his knees. He could feel the fabrics of Kurosawa’s pajamas scratching the tip of his nose, and the faint scent lingering on the fabric hit his nostrils. Heat crept up Adachi’s face, as he realised the scent on the pajamas he was wearing was identical to the one he could always smell on Kurosawa. 

Adachi lifted his head slightly. His eyes could not help but find their ways towards Kurosawa’s bed.

The pillow on Kurosawa’s bed, to be exact. 

Before Adachi realised what he was doing, he was already standing next to Kurosawa’s bed with out-stretched arms. Adachi’s fingers almost touched the pillow, but he stopped himself abruptly in mid-air. 

_I shouldn’t do it_ , thought Adachi, _I shouldn’t._

The pounding of his heart was deafeningly loud. He rubbed his temple and let out a soft sigh. The lure of finding out the truth was so tempting. Checking if there really was a photo lying beneath Kurosawa’s pillow enabled Adachi to confirm whether his “superpower” was only a figment of his own imagination or reality. 

He bit his lips hard, so hard that he could taste his own blood.

The sound of shower in the bathroom ceased suddenly, and was replaced by the barely audible humming of a joyful tune. Adachi sneaked a glance at the direction of the bathroom. He knew perfectly that there was little time left for him to think. Adachi must decide now. 

He took a deep breath, and lifted the pillow.

Beneath the fluffy pillow laid a picture. The beaming faces of himself and Kurosawa stared right back at him.

Adachi’s heart sped up uncontrollably. The loud thump of his heart was the only thing he could hear in the quiet apartment. The waves of emotions washing over him were too unbearable for his slender torso. Adachi knelt on the ground with his forehead pressed on Kurosawa’s bed frame, as he tried to catch his breath. 

For the first time in thirty years, he felt something foreign swirling in his heart. It was a feeling unlike what he had never felt before. He was not exactly sure what that strange emotion was, but he was certain he was not at all repulsed.

  
  
  
  


06.

  
  


Adachi went to work like any other day of his ordinary life the next morning. He failed to get a good night’s rest, but instead kept up all night tossing and turning, thinking about the photo and Kurosawa.

Fujisaki had been eyeing him and Kurosawa suspiciously the entire morning. Adachi had a feeling that Fujisaki’s sparkling eyes could pierce through his soul. 

He tapped his cheek with the tip of his pen as he stared at the document with vacant eyes. On the surface, Adachi was working diligently, but only he knew how distracted he actually was. It was impossible for him to focus on his work, when Kurosawa’s smile was occupying every inch of his thought. 

Adachi ruffled his already messy “bed hair”. He suppressed a scream of frustration as he remembered that was exactly how Kurosawa described his hair in the elevator, on that fateful day he realised Kurosawa had a crush on him. Adachi sneakily turned around to look for Kurosawa’s familiar figure, paying extra attention not to be seen by both Kurosawa and Fujisaki. He sighed in relief, when he realised how far away Kurosawa was standing. 

Adachi pulled out his phone to take a good look at the picture he had been thinking of the entire morning. He puffed his cheeks. 

“ _I should definitely make it my phone wallpaper as well…”_ Kurosawa’s thought popped up in his head. Before he realised what he was doing, Adachi had set this picture as his new phone wallpaper.

Adachi stared at his phone. The tips of his ears tinted crimson red.

_I wonder if Kurosawa has also set this picture as his phone wallpaper,_ thought Adachi.

The mental image of Kurosawa smiling gently at this picture sent butterflies fluttering in Adachi’s heart.

  
  
  
  
  


07.

  
  
  


Adachi was still unsure of the kind of feeling he was harbouring for Kurosawa, but there was one thing he was certain of. 

He was not repelled by Kurosawa's affections. 

_Does that mean I am in love with him as well?_ Adachi sighed. He was baffled by his own mind. 

He stared at his new wallpaper absentmindedly. Kurosawa in the picture was smiling cheerfully back at him. Completely lost in his trail of thought, Adachi failed to notice Rokkaku had just returned to his seat with two huge glasses of beer in hands. At the same time, Kurosawa sat down across the table opposite to Adachi. He put down a glass of beer and a plate of takoyaki balls. 

“You are really close to Kurosawa, Adachi! Look, you even have a picture of you and Kurosawa as your wallpaper!” Rokkaku exclaimed loudly next to Adachi. Totally caught off guard, Adachi’s hands slipped in surprise and his phone was about to fall into the glass of beer in front of him. Kurosawa reached out in time to catch Adachi’s phone before it plunged into the bubbly liquid. 

“Yeah...we are really close, cause Kurosawa and I are colleagues,” Adachi answered. He frowned at his own response as he realised how unconvincing he sounded. 

He didn’t even dare to look up when he answered Rokkaku, far too afraid that the others could see through his mask of calmness and knew he was lying. He swallowed nervously. Kurosawa passed Adachi his phone, causing him to look up at last. Mixed emotions were swirling Kurosawa’s dark orbs, but Adachi was unable to name them. 

_“To Adachi, we are merely colleagues. I know I should have known it, but I can’t help but to hope…”_ Kurosawa’s thoughts flowed into Adachi’s mind as their hands touched. His internal voice was laden with evident bitterness. It was the very first time for Adachi to hear Kurosawa sounding so sorrowful.

But he already knew how much he would hate seeing Kurosawa looking sad in the future.

The bitterness in Kurosawa’s voice sent an aching pain across Adachi’s chest. It was almost as if he was sad because he knew how unhappy Kurosawa was. 

Then it suddenly clicked.

How his heart sunk _whenever_ Kurosawa was sad. 

How he _couldn’t help but smiled_ at the picture he had taken with Kurosawa

How a thousand butterflies fluttered in his stomach _whenever_ Kurosawa smiled softly.

How much he _yearned to know_ whether Kurosawa’s affections for him were real.

And how elated he was _whenever_ Kurosawa was around. 

Was it possible that Kurosawa’s affections were, in fact, not unreciprocated? 

Adachi’s eyes widened, as he was struck by the sudden realisation. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> In case you are wondering how the convenience store melody sounds like, that's the one I was imagining when I was writing the fic.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcugPObch2U


End file.
